Combined that drained feeling with the energy required tocomplete the seven courses I must take in order to earn my NJstate certification as a School Library Media Specialist (which,that is a rant for another day -- not the coursework, but myimpassioned views on why "Media Specialist" is the most"whaaaat?"-inducing job title of all time. Obfuscation is notthis profession's friend.), and, you know, wanting to

But then, the wonderful Janie Hermann, from our kissingcousins in the blogosphere, Library Garden, posted about this very problem!Bless you, Janie, for speaking up & putting it so well. Knowing thatother people I like and respect are having the same problem as I'mhaving makes me feel like I, too, can break through & get blogging again.

And then, just this morning, I was reading the YALSA blog, andfound myself overflowing with ideas after reading Teri Lesesne's School Days post, in which she asks:

As school opening draws closer, how will you extend your PLN? Are you blogging and tweeting? Is there a listserv for your district or state? Do you monitor lists sposored by YALSA? If you do (and chances are good since you are reading the YALSA blog), why not tell others in your district about the values of social networking? Give them links to blogs; share your “twibe” from Twitter. Help others get and stay connected.

(And if you are not reading Teri's blog, really, what are you waiting for?

Go, go, this post will be here when you return.)

So, here's what I started writing in the comments to that post. Eventually,

I realized that this was the blog post I'd been waiting to be inspired to write,

so I pasted it here for you lucky, patient readers to enjoy.

I am just wrapping up an online summer course (for my certification), and the final assignment is a statement of educational philosophy. Very lofty, right? I'm trying to write the most down-to-earth, comprehensive statement I can (in no more than 550 words), and as I've been mulling it over, incorporating AASL's Standards for 21st Century Learners, Information Power, The Search Institute's Developmental Assets, and NJ's Standards for Teachers & School Leaders (whew!), I've decided that if I wanted to be really cheeky, I could hand in just one word: connect.

The #1 thing that makes me an effective school librarian is my passion for connection -- connecting kids with the just-right book for them, connecting teachers' lessons with information literacy standards, connecting units of study with the online & print resources that will make them come alive, and connecting myself with my wise, brilliant, and warm colleagues in school & public libraries everywhere.

Last year, I did exactly the wrong thing. I mean, it worked out fine in the end, but it was still the wrong thing: I let myself be isolated from my PLN. I had no time to read Bloglines, so I stopped using RSS to keep up with the biblioblogosphere. I barely tweeted. I could not imagine keeping up with the incredible volume on YALSA-BK or LM_NET, so I didn't bother subscribing. I was well & truly a solo librarian, and it kind of stank for a while.

Another one of my online classes -- about Developing Curriculum -- re-introduced me to the joys of PLNs, and lo: the second semester at school went more smoothly and creatively and satisfyingly than the first! I promised myself I would spend the summer re-connecting with my PLN, easing into it before the wonderful nuttiness of the school year began.

Here's what's worked for me:

Reconnecting with Twitter -- I now follow way more school & YA librarians than I used to, with the result that I am learning more every day about great books and other resources I can use in my library as soon as I get back to school. I have also been informally mentoring new librarians through Twitter, which is both fun & rewarding (and makes me feel more connected to the community of school librarians);

I also (finally) embraced the genius of filters in Gmail -- no listserv message ever hits my inbox anymore; they are all automatically archived & separately labeled, making reading & searching a snap, and reducing the threat of distraction during the day, when I need to be available to my students & teaching colleagues.

Those are the big things, really -- I find that deeper relationships outside of Twitter & various listservs develop naturally over the course of conversations there.

So, what does this mean for blogging here? Well, reconnecting with & expanding my PLN gives me more ideas for blogging; unlike Janie, I was feeling like my well of ideas was a bit dry. Also, I feel that part of being a responsible member of my PLN is by contributing to the conversation. Twitter is one venue for that, and I think there's still value in blogging. I'm good at sticking to a word- or character-count, but I also like the room to roam that blogging provides. Finally, I still really like being part of a conversation, and blogging is still a great way to do that.

6 Comments:

What a great post Sophie! I had indeed missed your contributions, but for all the reasons you have listed it is totally understandable. I think that with all the ways of being connected today that there is also a parallel pressure to remain connected. You can't help but feel guilty when you're not reading blogs, facebook, twitter, etc. and then you reach a point where you wonder "where's the time for other stuff??" A very welcome post as it sounds like you are set to embrace the new school year with a renewed energy. Congratulations, too, on finishing all those courses!

Thanks, Sarah! I agree about the parallel pressure to remain connected, and I think sometimes the draining effect of that pressure has to be countered with a hiatus. PGTL has been going strong for 5 (!) years, and I've been blogging one way or another for nearly 10 years. I think peaks & troughs are just part of the drill.

Thanks, too, for the congratulations, but I'm not done yet -- I'll be over the hump after this course is done (tomorrow). Four down, three to go!

wow. i want to take some time to read this again and digest it more. thanks for the post (and for the comment at the yalsa blog, too, and for telling people about my own blog, sadly neglected of late).

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